Candidates List Finalized For MNS Election

Candidates List Finalized For MNS Election

Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 14:44

 

 

Five men are attempting to become the next president of the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan.

 

The list includes acting MNS president Guy Bouvier and two men who ran for president in the controversial 2004 election — Robert Doucette and Alex Maurice.

 

Long-time MNS area director Philip Chartier and Metis activist John Melenchuk are also in the running.

 

Nominations for all positions in the Provincial Metis Council closed yesterday.

 

Running for MNS vice-president are Darren (D.W.) Deschambeault, Glen McCallum, Dale McAuley, Allan Morin, Al Rivard and Larry Vandale.

 

The five people in the race for secretary are May Parenteau Henderson, Tammy Mah, Angus McKay, Lee Morin and Max Morin.

 

Gabe Lafond was the only person interested in becoming MNS treasurer, and has been acclaimed to that position.

 

Three other people have been acclaimed as area directors — Pat Knudsen in Northern Region I, Helene Johnson in Eastern Region II and Beverley Worsley in Eastern Region III.

 

The organization will be holding a new election on June 27th, and an independent oversight committee is promising stricter controls than seen in previous Metis elections.

 

Eligible voters will be able to start registering today under a new voter registry system that organizers say will include a secure voters list and photo ID voter cards.

 

Chief electoral officer David Hamilton says they won’t need to provide historical documents — but they will have to swear they are, in fact, Metis.

 

A total of 13 people have been charged with trying to manipulate the results of the last vote — including the man who was declared the winner of the vote for president in 2004, Dwayne Roth.